Learn Hardcore Turkish: Araba yolda yavaş gidiyor, bu yüzden hızlanmak gerekiyor. - The car is going slowly on the road, so it needs to accelerate.

Turkish does not use definite or indefinite articles. You simply say araba for “car.” Context tells you if it means “a car” or “the car.” If you really want “a car,” you can say bir araba; for “this car,” you could say bu araba.

What does yolda mean, and what does the suffix -da do?

yolda = yol (“road”) + locative suffix -da, so it means “on the road.” Turkish uses case endings instead of prepositions like “on,” “in,” or “at” to show location.

Why is yavaş placed before gidiyor, and is it an adjective or an adverb here?

In Turkish, adjectives double as adverbs without adding “-ly.” When yavaş (“slow”) appears right before a verb, it functions as an adverb: “slowly.” So yavaş gidiyor = “is going slowly.”

Why do we use gidiyor (present continuous) instead of the simple present gider?

Turkish commonly uses the present continuous tense (–iyor) for actions happening now or regularly. gidiyor covers both “is going” and the idea of “goes” in many contexts. The simple present gider is less about current ongoing action and more about general facts or future sequences.

What is bu yüzden, and how does it function in this sentence?

bu yüzden = bu (“this”) + yüzden (“because of”), forming “therefore” or “for this reason.” It connects the two clauses by showing that the slow speed causes the need to speed up. In writing, it’s typically set off by a comma.

Why is hızlanmak in the infinitive form, and how does it work with gerekiyor?

hızlanmak is the infinitive (“to accelerate”). gerekiyor is an impersonal necessity verb meaning “it is necessary.” Combined, they mean “it is necessary to accelerate,” i.e. “one needs to accelerate.”

Can we drop bu yüzden, and what happens if we do?

Yes. If the causal connection is clear, you can say Araba yolda yavaş gidiyor, hızlanmak gerekiyor. Omitting bu yüzden just removes the explicit “therefore,” but the meaning stays understandable.

How would you say “we need to accelerate” if you want to include “we” explicitly?

Two common ways:
• Hızlanmamız gerekiyor – uses the infinitive noun phrase hızlanma- + our possessor -mız + gerekiyor, literally “our accelerating is necessary.”
• Hızlanmalıyız – adds the necessity suffix -malı/-meli to the verb and the personal ending -yız, meaning “we must accelerate.”

The word order feels different from English. What’s the typical Turkish word order here?

Turkish is generally Subject–Object–Verb (SOV). Adverbs and locative phrases usually come before the verb. In this sentence:
Subject: Araba
Location: yolda
Manner: yavaş
Verb: gidiyor
Conjunction: bu yüzden
Infinitive + necessity: hızlanmak gerekiyor

How would you say “the car is going fast” instead of slowly?

Replace yavaş (“slowly”) with an adverb for “fast.” For example:
• Araba yolda hızlı gidiyor – using hızlı adjectivally as “fast.”
• Araba yolda hızla gidiyor – using the dedicated adverb hızla (“quickly”).